@sindmani You are right dear! I agree to everything! Languages can be learnt dear! But nothing should be forced. We can even learn Germany, french if we are interested. But we cant force someone who doesn't want to read french. Thats what am trying to say. And yes I agree English is necessary for the global demand! But only as a language.[/QUOTE] True. We should not force any one to learn any language. Even if it Global language and the person knows it. If he or she does not want to speak in English with same mother tongue people , that person should not be forced.
I used English more as a kid because my childhood was in gulf.at home Mother tongue and English both . Influence of storyboooks, favourite English teacher etc made me love the language. Hindi ,Malayalam was a medium of communication with neighbours. Mom is good in Malayalam so I picked up easily. Hindi from dad. My mother tongue was familiar to me.
@IniyaaSri You must be familiar with the nursery rhyme: Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full! One for the master, One for the dame, And one for the little boy Who lives down the lane. I too know three languages: Tamil to converse with my domestic folks and servant maid English to converse with my club and other friends. (In the club, service will be prompt and better when we talk in English!) Hindi (brokem) to talk with my Nepali guard. When I go to the club, I tell him in my own Hindi to keep the gate open until I return and he responds with a 'Tik hai saab'. When I return I see the gate locked! I also know some nondescript language to pet young kids!
Each language has it own set of nuances and inherent attitudes which go with them - in my mother tongue, please and thank you is conveyed by tone rather than with words. It's all about sharing and being brave. And women are expected to conform to rather parochial expectations. While the language is rich, the words even when translated do not translate well to today's politically correct western world. (Perhaps it does translate well but I just haven't come across much) So when I meet friends who share my mother tongue, would you like water, do stay for dinner, etc. would be in our mother tongue but when we start discussing child rearing philosophies or politics (we can't help ourselves) or sport or current events, we automatically switch to English. And oh! I've been referred to as stuck up when I spoke to someone on our mother tongue - that I didn't think they were good enough (or clever enough or rich enough or some such ridiculous reason I was given) to know English. Go figure. Some pepole perhaps have a chip on their shoulder and over analyse it to see if they could take offence and get a high out of the drama. That's my conclusion.
And also a someone who is fluent in 3 languages, passable in 3 more and can understand yet anothe, i'm convinced there are various eloquent phrases and deep emotions in different languages which can't be translated. It is easy for people to fall in love with a language if it touches them like no other language has.
True @guesshoo Many languages are related to each other in one way other. South Indian languages have common words. Same script for Marathi and hindi. So it goes on. I learned German 6 months course in College,alphabets were same.
Rihana! From your post, I understand that you are well versed in English rather than your mother tongue! I feel pathetic if we all end up this way! And that is my humble opinion and am not being judgmental about anything or anyone! I was in need of various perspectives on this! According to me, language is not just to communicate... Isn't Language root to our culture? The place from where we came. Thats what I was wondering. Personally speaking, I know 6 languages and I always want to converse in my mother tongue with people at home. And I can use the other languages whenever it is really needed. I guess your thoughts were little different from the majority of the responses in this thread! Thanks for sharing all your experiences and thoughts on this. I got to understand why people get comfortable in English after reading your detailed response. Thanks once again! Have a good day!
